New Year’s Eve in four different European countries

The end of the year is just around the corner, and the last day of 2014 is approaching. Soon enough we will be saying hello to a brand new year, full of hope, expectations, and travels! For some, the night of 31st of December is just like any other night, for many it is a special and exciting night, for me… my favorite night of the year!

So far, I had the opportunity to spend my favorite night of the year in four different countries across Europe, in four well known and loved European cities. I believe many of you might already have planned where you will spend your New Year’s Eve, but maybe some of you are still considering a few places. In any case, I share now with you how was like to spend New Year’s Eve in:

Munich, Germany

Because I live in Munich I thought that one day I had to spend New Year’s Eve here and see how is it like. So after gathering a few friends at home for dinner, when midnight was approaching we all decided to head to the Olympia Park, where there is a hill from where it is possible to see the city from above. However, on New Year’s Eve it was very cold and foggy, which means we didn’t see almost anything, so I don’t advise you to spend there.

In Munich there are other options of how to spend your New Year’s Eve. Apart from spending it at Marienplatz – where the City Hall is – along with thousands of other people, there are parties everywhere. If you decide for a party, make sure to make a reservation in advance. In terms of price, these parties can cost around 150 Euros per person, with everything included. One thing is certain: a New Year’s Eve in Munich will be cold!

Year: 2013 – 2014

Where: Olympia Park

With whom: W and friends

Weather: cold and foggy

Price: free

Would spend there again? No! I have to be honest.

Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm is one of my favorite cities in the World, and after visiting it for the first time during the fall, I decided that one day I wanted to get back there in the next opportunity I had. So when deciding where to spend New Year’s Eve outside Germany and not paying a huge amount of money because of one special night, Stockholm was somehow the best option!

W and me only decided what to do for New Year’s Eve after we got there. We were told that the most famous and popular place to go would be Skansen, an open-air museum at a park located in a hill with an amazing view to the city and the sea. And that is where we went!

Every year since 1895 New Year’s Eve is celebrated at Skansen. There is always a concert with local bands – which were a bit boring for my taste – and small tents selling hot drinks and snacks, as well as a privileged view to the city. Spending New Year’s Eve at Skansen was indeed beautiful with all the amazing fireworks coming from the nearby boats and the old town – Gamla Stan – simply incredible despite the cold!

Would spend there again? Not in Skansen, I think it is a one-time thing, but I would spend in Stockholm again and do something different.

Tips

As selling alcohol in public in Sweden is a bit of a problem, there were no alcoholic beverages at Skansen, though you are allowed to bring yours. Just make sure you buy in advance because the liquor stores close early on the 31st.

Wear warm clothes!!!

Paris, France

Before…

It was when I was living in Paris, and even though I knew I would spend New Year’s Eve alone in the city of lights, I had high expectations for this one. I decided to spend in the most obvious place: in front of the Eiffel Tower, at the Trocadéro. It was a bit cold and packed with people from everywhere in the World, most were in big groups or together as a couple, I was probably one of the few that were alone.

In 2008 the Eiffel Tower was in the European Union’s flag colors, all blue with gold stars. Each one of the stars would go dark in the last seconds before midnight, as a countdown, then the entire tower turned into a new color, which was very nice to see. Though, I have to say I expected more fireworks than they had, it looked beautiful anyways and I enjoyed my last day of the year alone, but surrounded by thousands of people.

Leaving wasn’t the easiest task; the nearby metro station was closed so everyone had to walk a bit until the next opened station. The way back home was fun with some Spanish guys singing some of their funny New Year’s Eve’s songs in the metro, and everyone trying to sing along!

… and after midnight!

Year: 2008 – 2009

Where: Trocadéro

With whom: myself!

Weather: cold, but ok

Price: free

Would spend there again? I think if would spend another New Year’s Eve in Paris I would go to the Champs Elysées next time to see how it is.

Tip: Never spend a New Year’s Eve alone.

Madrid, Spain

New Year’s Eve in Madrid is a night to never forget. It is incredible that even with the cold – well, not that much if compared to the rest of Europe – people are cheering and singing and partying. I spent midnight at the famous Puerta del Sol Square, where there is a countdown at the clock on the top of the Casa de Correos.

The Spanish has a tradition of eating 12 grapes at each chime of the clock; that was fun! For a moment I thought I just couldn’t eat fast enough! Even though I was very sick of my stomach, it was impossible not to enjoy the most of the Noche vieja in Madrid. The crowd gathered at the Puerta del Sol Square was simply the best, not to mention eating the grapes in a hurry plus the fireworks! After midnight people would go to clubs around the city and party all night long; this option wasn’t possible for us, as my sis was underage. Next time!

Year: 2006 – 2007

Where: Puerta del Sol Square

With whom: little sis and friends

Weather: I didn’t think it as cold for a winter night, but Spain isn’t so cold as most European countries.

Price: free

Would spend there again? Definitely! Plus, add a little party after.

Tips

Make sure you buy your grapes in advance, there are people selling at the Puerta del Sol too, though too pricey! Oh, and buy them seedless, it will make your life easier.

Go for a nice dinner before and to a party afterwards!

I think you might probably have figured out my favorite one among the four!

*My photos aren’t the best, but back then I was a worse photographer than I am today, so forgive me for that! 🙂

New Year’s Eve in Stockholm

Have you spent New Year’s Eve in any of these cities? How was it? Are you going to spend it in any of them this year? Or where are you going?

Sadly I will be staying in town for New Year’s Eve, hopefully it’s going to be better than last year though. Spending the day in Stockholm sounds wonderful, you just made me add it on my list! (probably not next year, since I’ll be visiting it in the summer). I did spend New Year’s Eve in Vienna and Budapest, the latter being my favorite end of the year ever! 😀

Ohh I hope this year will be better then 😀
Yess, in Stockholm was pretty cool, but veeeery cold! hahaha. In summer you will have much more fun there, such an amazing city, I cant wait for you to go and tell me what you thought haha 😀

Ohh I remember you telling me about your New Years in Budapest, one of these years I will spend there!! It might me wonderful by the Danube! 😀

Ohhh I wish I could go to Madrid this year… I was actually planning to go for months, but everything got so expensive that I had to change my plans! I hope you enjoy your New Year’s Eve in Madrid, its my favorite one! 😀

We have a tradition of spending every New Year in a different city and Paris was the worst! There were no fireworks the year we were there – but hundreds of police officers! At midnight the Eiffel Tower sparkled in silver, the same as at every hour, then everybody just left.

The best New Year is a tie between Brussels and Edinburgh. Brussels had an amazing fireworks display, and in Edinburgh there was so much to do, with live music, etc.

Ohhh so I wasnt the only one who thought New Year’s Eve in Paris doesn’t have fireworks!! I was so disappointed with that 🙁 I don’t know why, they could make something amazing there!! And you are right, there were lots of policemen there!!

Wow Brussels and Edinburg? I would never guess!!! That’s great to know!! On my list for the next years 😀
Where are you spending this year?

Thats sounds amazing… its exactly what my hubby and I wanted to do. Fly to St. Petersburg then visit Talinn and Helsinki 😀 I hope we can do that someday, but I hope we do it during summer 😀
I hope you have fun and tell us all about in your blog!

That is awesome!!! I have never spend NYE in Toronto, but when I lived in Canada I spent in Montreal and I loved it 😀 despite the cold hahaha
I hope you have fun at NYE, it really sounds like it will be!
Yesss, Spain is so far my favorite one in Europe!

traveolani

Spending NY at the beach in hot weather sounds so amazing and surreal to me! I am used to cold weather and snow at that time of the year.
We always go to a big organized party at a restaurant or banquet hall. It is a lot of fun and a lot of dances and I love dancing!

Ohhh I know what you mean, on the other hand for me, it is weird to spend NYE in a cold country hahaa… I love spending on the beach with lots of fireworks and lots of friends and family 😀 I miss that! I have to manage to go again to Brazil for NYE one of these years!

Yours sounds reaaaally fun!!! Must be an amazing party, with great food!! This is a very nice option since its so cold there right? And if you love dancing it should be even more fun for you 😀

Yes, I am going to Tuscany… with my hubby and dog. In a place in the middle of the vineyards, veeery quiet 😀 I thought I should do something different this year… lets see how it goes… there will be wine for sure 😀

Hi Danika!! LA and Copenhagen sounds fantastic!!! I considered going to Copenhagen this year, but decided to go to Tuscany instead 😀
Santa Cruz must be amazing!! Im sure my hubby would love that, he loves California, and well, me too! 🙂
Thank you so much for stopping by and for sharing your NYE plans!

Oh the 12 grapes!! I do it every year since I’ve been with my husband. And yes BUY SEEDLESS ONES! the first year I did it, I picked all the seeds out and my sis in-law said I cheated! Haha!! The other place to go for New Year is Edinburgh! They have a huge Hogmanay street party!

Yeah everything goes up in price in December it’s ridiculous! To be perfectly honest, I have never been into New Years Eve celebration too much. To me it’s just another day, but my husband and I, if we’re not with his family for Nocheveija, I will prepare a special quiet dinner for us. This year we will be here in Bilbao just the two of us. I’m usually falling asleep by 11pm haha!!

What a coincidence!! 😀
Seeing the fireworks from Skansen is beautiful, but you can also see for free from Gamla Stan, which was our other option!! I am sure it is beautiful too, and afterwards you can go to a bar or something 🙂 I liked how much fireworks they have there, the city organizes every year a big ship with lots of it, its amazing! 😀

Yess I do!!
First you need to know that the food there is amazing, so everywhere you go you will like the food. But I have been to some places that might interest you… I have their links and names on my post about Stockholm, together with some tips in case you are interested: http://packingmysuitcase.com/2014/04/26/what-to-do-in-stockholm/
I hope it helps 😀 You will love that city… but be prepared because it will be cold!!

Make your words mine!! I have the same opinion about Canada!! I love it, but when I think about the cold I just cant imagine myself living there again, maybe in Vancouver, which is less cold than Winnipeg hahaha

you mean “Winter-Peg”. lol. When Alberta thinks somewhere is cold, believe me, it’s really cold. Funny part is I have a guy in my gym from Winnipeg and they sure seem to be everywhere in the USA. I guess anythng warmer is good !!

It sounds like all of your New Year’s Eve celebrations was spent in cold weather! But it seems like you don’t mind the cold too much. All the sparkly lights look very pretty 😀

It’s always summer here in Australia for NYE. Last year I went to the city to watch the fireworks. There was so many people, so packed and in the end it took me 2 hours by foot to get home when it actually takes ten minutes 😀 That is probably my least favourite bit about NYE.

Yes, spending NYE here in Europe always means that it will be cold… thats why I cant wait to spend it in a warm place again!! Brazil is my favorite place for NYE so far 😀

Ohhh 2 hours?? That’s the thing about NYE, I guess everywhere people go on the streets and its all crowded!! Getting back home takes much longer the it normally does!!
Are you spending in Melbourne this year?

Maybe one day you can come to Australia and spend NYE in our summer. There have been a few times when it was almost 40’C on NYE and we were all wondering if the fireworks would be cancelled (for fear of fire). It has never happened… 😀

I will most definitely be in Melbourne this year for NYE. Though I might make it a low key one – watching the early 9pm fireworks and going home to sleep ^^’

Each NYE in Australia there is this thing called “family fireworks” at around 9pm in the city. It’s mainly for families with young children – so the kids can join in the fun too. Last year I watched this early fireworks and it lasted about 10 minutes, very nice 😀

I don’t know if they have anything like that in Europe or Brazil? Maybe it’s just midnight fireworks there 🙂

I think this is such a good idea!!! But there is nothing like that here in Germany nor in Brazil… its only the midnight fireworks. Though here in Germany on the 31st throughout the day there are many kids in the neighbourhood playing with some fireworks and their parents.

Since I was a kid, my mom told me I always would wait for midnight, it was always my favorite day of the year 😀 I always found it exciting, so I neveeer miss it 😀

hahaha yes 😀
This year I am going to do something a bit different… I am going to a tiny city in the middle of the vineyards in Tuscany with my hubby and dog.. something calm with some wine 😀
What about you? Times Square?

I totally understand that!! Some things you just need to do once!! Like… I hope not to spend NYE in Munich again, I did once and its just not what I like hahaha
I hope to go to NY one day for NYE, but I believe only once, because Im sure its soooo cold and people have to wait sooo much!

I think next year should be London??!! Great photos, and each one looks like it was memorable! I shall be at home in my PJs with a takeaway! Which is fine, at least I can watch fireworks on the TV! No one wants to babysit on NYE…

Ohhh yes, I hope next year will be London! But I know I have to plan in advance because its very expensive to spend NYE there!! I considered going this year, but it was a bit too late I guess!
Ohh noo… take Monkey with you! What do you normally do on NYE? I party somewhere?

As a suggestion for fellow travelers, New Year’s Eve in Sihanoukville, Cambodia was a blast! I didn’t think the locals would really celebrate, seeing as they have Lunar New Year, but they did some really cool things. (https://adventureswithholly.wordpress.com/2014/11/21/travel-rewind-revisiting-khmer-paradise-pt-2-new-years-eve-in-cambodia/ if you’re curious). They dug sculptures/messages for the new year in the sand, and lit candles. Vendors were selling paper lanterns and fireworks, and the beach was noisy, colourful and a perfect place to stay up til 6 am ^_^
This year it’s Dec 31st in Seoul! Can’t wait to discover Solar New Year’s here.

Cold!! That’s how I think about spending NY eve in Europe…except maybe in Spain or Portugal 😀 but still… Great tips and experiences!
Last year we started new tradition to spend New Year eve in tropical island, the idea to scuba dive on the first day of the year was so tempting..we loved it..so this year we will do the same….it will be much more calm than celebrating NY eve in the city though, but sincerely, I don’t mind at all 🙂

Me too Indah… I really miss spending NYE in a warm country.. especially by the beach! Ohhhh diving on the first day of the year means starting your year with your right foot.. just amazing!! I wish we could do that, but everything at this time of the year is sooo expensive! To do that Im guessing we will have to plan in advance, and even so it will be expensive.
Lucky you!!! Im sure you will have an amazing NYE 😀

New Year’s Eve in Paris is always fun, though cold. Depending on where you are in the city, the night can go very differently! New Year’s Eve in New York City is also amazing, with a lot of parties going on, and a huge party in Times Square.

I can imagine!!! If I go again for a NYE in Paris, I try to go somewhere different and see how it is… I like fireworks, but I didnt see many in Paris.
In NY must be amazing, I hope to go for NYE there one day too 😀

It used to be my tradition to spend Christmas and/or New Year’s in different countries, but I found travelling anywhere near Christmas and early January to be too expensive! So then it became my birthday tradition, in June.

When I was younger it was more about where I was, but the older I got it became more about who I was with. I learned being with the “wrong” people can completely ruin the experience anywhere, but being with the “right” people can make anywhere a great experience.

Some memorable New Year’s: Time’s Square – New York City (alone, but with 600,000+ other people so I can relate to your NYE in Paris), Hamburg, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Christchurch, New Orleans. Not all the memorable ones were in big cities, though, I’ve had great ones in much smaller places like Syracuse, New York and Canberra, Australia. Also, you can extend the fun if you celebrate other countries’ new year’s celebrations from the lunar or other calendars, like Jewish New Year or Iranian New Year. One of my favourite New Years was Chinese New Year in Melaka, Malaysia: http://gailatlarge.com/blog/2010/02/04/8948

You are right, its everywhere in the World too expensive to travel at this time of the year!! 🙁

I agree with you that it always depends on with whom you are spending this day. You can be in most amazing place ever, but if you are alone with the wrong people it will never be as fun as if you were with the right people 😀

Ohhh alone in Time’s Square, just exactly like me in Paris!! I wouldn’t mind 😀 but Im sure it could have been better with some friends and all 😀 Thank you for sharing your experience! My best NYEs were also in small places, except for Madrid… the rest was always somewhere by the beach in Brazil, when I used to live there!

For 2012 new years even my friends and I went to Paris, we were studying abroad in Lille. It was really a fun experience but I think I would never do it again. Too much harassment & nasty people for my taste plus people pushing around all the time. I had more fun on the bar we were before and after we left Trocadero. I’m definitely looking forward to Ljubljana this year! Hopefully it’s more peaceful.

Great tips, wonderfully summarized…yes, each place has its own charm and character which get displayed during these high decibel celebration…yes, depends on how we would like to celebrate the arrival of the new year…once a while it is nice to spend a quite time with self when the world outside is in full celebration.

Yes, I prefer to have a calm celebration with the family and very close friends…depends on the mood to be part of any big party…now-a-days it is very hectic and has become very chaotic…it is better to spend time in observing how the world is celebrating rather than be lost in your own celebration…

O! beach side celebration with lots of people watching to the fireworks in the sky…the cheerful welcome of the new year in a chorus, yes it makes a perfect setting for the celebration…here in India we have so many such lovely celebration, Goa is a special place for such get-together…

What an amazing collection, Allane! I haven’t spent New Year’s Eve in any of these cities… Madrid sounds wonderful! The only one in Europe I’ve managed to spend it in is London. I’ve come to the conclusion that a party with close friends, whether at home or in a restaurant is better than trying to jostle the crowds in most of the “popular” spots 🙂

Happy that you liked Kan 🙂
Yes, Madrid is my favorite one for sure! I hope to spend in London one day to add one more to the collection 🙂
And you are right, spending home with the family is always joyful and at the same time fun… this year will be only me, hubby and my dog 😀
What are you planning for this NYE?

I’ve never actually spent NYE abroad before – I would really like to do so one day and maybe somewhere not too crowded like Paris or my own home London so perhaps the Stockholm experience though I’m not sure I’m brave enough for the cold!! Happy New Year Allane 🙂